Name: Connor Barwin
Compares to: Mike Vrabel
College: Cincinnati
Height: 6-4 Weight: 255
Position: DE Pos2: TE/H-back/LB
40 Time: 4.64
Projected Round: 2
Rated number 4 out of 203 DE's
Playing in the 2009 Under Armour Senior Bowl.
Barwin, a converted tight end playing his first season on defense averaged almost a sack per game (0.9), leading UC and the BIG EAST, while ranking 16th nationally. His 11 sacks were two off the school record of 13, set a year ago. He finished with 53 tackles, 16 which went for a loss. He blocked three punts, broke up eight passes, and had seven quarterback hurries. He also had a 1-yard touchdown reception in UC's win over USF on Oct. 30.
2007 Season: A standout on special teams, as well as a key player in the tight end rotation...played in 12 games...31 receptions for 399 yards, including two touchdowns...named UC's Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a punt and recovering a fumbled punt return at USF...collected seven grabs for 86 yards, including a 26-yard catch and run, in the Papajohns.com Bowl.
2006 Season: Saw action in all 13 games as a regular on special teams and alternate at the tight end position...played in 23 games as a walk-on for the basketball team...Bearcat Academic Honor Roll (Winter 2007).
2005 Season: One of two first-year freshmen to see action on offense...played in all 11 games as a backup tight end...joined the basketball team in early January...saw action in each of the final 16 games as a backup to the forward positions.
NE Fit: Barwin demonstrated great ball awareness at DE and showed good athleticism to cover RBs out of the backfield and play up on his feet along the LOS to disrupt the blocking assignments. As a rookie he can immediately contribute as a reserve TE and on Special Teams while he learns to play LB. As a TE he's a willing blocker in line and did a good job blocking in a goal line series against Pittsburgh. He projects well as an OLB and like Vrabel may also crosstrain as an ILB. He certainly looked the part of Vrabel on his TD reception and his goal line blocking.
He will need to get stronger, improve his hand use and his coverage skills, but there may be an advantage to his lack of experience on defense - fewer bad habits to correct. Virginia Tech was able to neutralize him in the Orange Bowl, though UC's defense was playing with a handicap after their QB threw 4 interceptions. He may not be a star in the NFL, but he's the kind of blue collar player to carry on the standards set by Vrabel, Brown, Faulk, Bruschi, Harrison...